JP6707326B2 - Boxing device - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a box packaging device in which a flap extending from a top panel of a box is bent and attached to a side wall.

Patent Document 1 proposes a device that folds a flap extending from a top panel that extends from a body of a box whose upper side is open, and bonds the flap to a side wall of the body to seal the box. The device disclosed in Patent Document 1 bends a top panel extending upward from a body of a box accommodating an article by a folding guide at an entrance of a carrying-in means, and holds the folded state to convey the article. It is configured to lift the box that has advanced the path by the lift means. Then, when the box is raised, the flaps that extend from the top panel to the left and right are bent downward by the folding guides, and the body part to which glue is applied by the gluing means before raising the box The left and right flaps are closely attached to the side wall and are laminated. At the position where the box is lifted by the lifting means, glue is applied to the side wall of the box by the gluing means, and another flap extending from the top panel is pushed to the side wall by the pushing means provided at the rising end of the lifting means. I try to press them together.

Japanese Patent No. 3581978

Since the device disclosed in Patent Document 1 performs the above-mentioned gluing and laminating steps while transporting the box, it is possible to set the packaging processing capacity (box transport speed) to be high. However, since the top panel and flaps are bent while transporting the box, if the size of the box changes due to product type switching, multiple folding guides provided on the transport path and side walls intersecting the transport direction It is necessary to adjust the position of the gluing means or the like for applying glue according to the size of the box, and it is pointed out that there is a problem that the production stop time becomes long when the product type is changed. Moreover, since the horizontal and vertical transport paths are combined, the total length of the transport path of the box becomes long, and it is difficult to make the apparatus compact. Furthermore, the resistance when the flap is bent by abutting against the folding guide causes a distortion in the body of the box, and the side wall and the flap are bonded together in that state, so that the resulting box is also distorted. There is also a risk of causing.

The present invention has been proposed in order to suitably solve the above-mentioned problems inherent in the above-described conventional box-sealing device, and it is easy to perform switching work according to boxes of different sizes. An object of the present invention is to provide a box-sealing device which is a compact device and can prevent the distortion of the box that tends to occur during the box-sealing.

In order to overcome the above problems and achieve the intended purpose, the packaging device according to the invention of claim 1 is
The flap extending laterally from the top panel that was bent to cover the upper opening of the body part and was attached to one side wall of the body part of the box was bent and attached to the side wall of the body part. In the box sealing device,
A transport conveyor that transports by placing a box in which the top panel is bent so as to cover the upper opening at predetermined intervals.
During transport of the conveyor, applying the adhesives and to polymerization surface to be stuck to overlap the side wall when the flap and the flap extending laterally perpendicular to the conveying direction is bent Such that the upstream first gluing means and the downstream second gluing means, which are arranged separately in the transport direction,
Movable with a degree of freedom in the two-dimensional plane of the conveying direction before Symbol conveyor and down direction, the first robot operating range between the first gluing means and the second gluing means is set and A second robot having an operation range set on the downstream side of the second gluing means;
It is provided in each of the first handling unit of the first robot and the second handling unit of the second robot, and in the operating range of each robot, the handling unit presses the top panel of the box and the bottom surface of the transport conveyor. holding a box in contact with the conveying surface when moving in the conveying direction of the conveyor at the conveying speed and tuning speed of the transport conveyor, it is displaced by the actuation mechanism fold that bent so as to overlap the flap on the side wall Members,
When moving a box conveying direction by said first robot, composed, and turning means for the bottom surface of the first handling unit horizontally rotated 90 degrees to convert the can toward the box in contact with the conveying surface Was
In each of the operation ranges of the respective robots, a flap that is overlapped and bent on the side wall is pressed, and the overlapping surface of the side wall and the flap is bonded by an adhesive applied by the gluing means. And

According to the invention of claim 1, there is no need to adjust the flap folding guide according to the size of the box, the type switching time can be shortened, and the box of a plurality of sizes can be flexibly dealt with. Furthermore, since the flap adhesive is applied to the box being transported to the flaps on the left and right of the conveying path by changing the came direction of the box is extended as is laminated on the side walls, a plurality of such the conventional apparatus The transport path can be shortened without providing different transport paths, and the apparatus can be made compact. In particular, since the flap is bent while the box is pressed from above and it is attached to the side wall, compared to the conventional method of bending the flap that is guided along the folding guide during transportation, it is deformed. Even in a carton box or the like made of a material such as cardboard, which is easy to perform, the box can be favorably formed without causing distortion of the box when the flap is bent and formed. Further, the first and second gluing means for applying the adhesive to the side walls of the body which are orthogonal to each other can be fixedly arranged on the side of the transport path, and the adhesive can be provided according to the size of the box. It is possible to handle boxes of multiple sizes simply by setting the application timing of.
Further, since the box is held and the direction is changed by the first handling unit of the first robot, 90-degree horizontal conversion can be performed without disturbing the posture of the box.

In the invention according to claim 2, a carry-out conveyor is connected downstream of the carry conveyor, and an operation range of the second robot is set so that the box on the carry conveyor held by the second handling unit can be delivered to the carry-out conveyor. In the operating range, the flap is folded so as to overlap the side wall by the pair of folding members in the second handling portion, and the body of the box in which the flap is folded is sandwiched between the second gluing means. It is characterized in that the side wall and the overlapped surface of the flap are attached to each other by the adhesive applied in step (2).
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the box whose flap is bent by the second handling unit can be held as it is and transferred to the carry-out conveyor, so that the box can be delivered to the carry-out conveyor without changing its posture.

In the invention according to claim 3 , the transport conveyor includes a pushing member that pushes the box at predetermined intervals, and the box held by the first handling unit is moved in the transport direction, and the direction of the box is horizontally converted by 90 degrees. when, the pusher member sunk to below the conveying surface of the conveyor, in that a dipper that projecting the pusher member in accordance with the conversion complete box orientation to above the conveying surface Characterize.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the transport conveyor is configured by a conveyor that pushes the box by the pushing member, the box can be stably transported without disturbing the transport posture. Further, since when converting a box orientation was as sinking below the conveying surface of the pusher member, it is not necessary to shift the transport position of the box in order to prevent contact interference with the pusher member, the box during transport Can be prevented from being displaced.

In the invention according to claim 4, wherein the first sizing means, so that the top panel is coated with adhesives on flaps stuck to the side wall or side wall opposite the side wall to be continuously provided, said flap Is arranged on either the left or right side of the transfer path of the transfer conveyor (13) from which
According to the invention of claim 4 , since one flap extending from the top panel is attached to the side wall of the box first, the box is folded when the pair of flaps orthogonal to the one flap are bent. Can reduce distortion.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, the first and second handling parts are support surface parts that can come into contact with the top panel from above when the flap is bent by the folding member, and the transport on the support surface parts. It is characterized in that a supporting member provided with a pair of supporting pieces located at the front and the rear in the direction and supporting the front and rear edges of the top panel in the conveying direction is provided .
According to the invention of claim 5 , since the flap is bent and attached to the side wall while the front and rear edges of the top panel are supported by the supporting member, the box is prevented from being distorted forward and backward when the flap is bent. It is possible to prevent this, and it is possible to obtain a box having a good shape.

According to the packaging device of the present invention, it is possible to shorten the product type switching time of the box and to make the device compact, and to perform the switching work according to the boxes of different sizes, which is a compact device. It is possible to prevent the distortion of the box, which is likely to occur during the packaging.

It is a schematic perspective view of the box sealing device which concerns on an Example. It is explanatory drawing which shows the part which the pushing member of the conveyance conveyor in the box-sealing apparatus which concerns on an Example sinks below from a conveyance surface. It is the principal part schematic diagram which looked at the 1st folding member in the 1st folding means of the packaging device concerning an example from the upstream side in the state before changing the posture of a box. It is a principal part schematic diagram which abbreviate|omitted the 1st folding member in the 1st bending means of the packaging device which concerns on an Example, and saw the 1st supporting member from the side before changing the attitude|position of a box. It is explanatory drawing which shows the packaging process by the packaging device which concerns on an Example.

Next, a boxing device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of examples.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a box-sealing device according to an embodiment. The box-sealing device includes a conveyor 13 for conveying the boxes 10 at predetermined intervals and an upper side conveyed by the conveyor 13. A top panel 12 connected to one side wall 11d of the body 11 of the opened box 10 is bent to cover the upper opening, and three flaps 12a and 12b extending laterally from the top panel 12 are provided. , 12c so as to bend, the first bending means 14 serving as the handling portion of the first robot R1 and the second bending means 15 serving as the handling portion of the second robot R2, and the left and right sides in the process of transporting the box 10 by the transport conveyor 13. The side walls 11a, 11b, 11c facing the sides are provided with a first gluing means 16 and a second gluing means 17 for applying an adhesive such as hot melt adhesive. Further, on the downstream side of the transport conveyor 13, the three flaps 12a, 12b, 12c are bent toward the body portion 11, and the box 10 is pasted and sealed to the side walls 11a, 11b, 11c, respectively. A carry-out conveyor 18 that receives and transfers from the transfer conveyor 13 is connected (see FIG. 5).

As shown in FIG. 5, the unfolded sheet-shaped carton is assembled into a box 10 whose bottom is assembled by the box-making apparatus in the previous process to open the upper part, and either one of the left and right side walls 11a and 11d of the body 11 is formed. In the state where the top panel 12 connected to the side wall 11d of the above stands upright, the three top flaps are placed on the above-mentioned transport conveyor 13 and transported, and three first flaps are provided at three edges. 12a, a second flap 12b (another flap), and a third flap (another flap) 12c are projected. Then, in the process of transporting the box 10 in which the upper opening of the body portion 11 is opened in such a semi-manufactured state by the transport conveyor 13, the articles 19 are stored in the body portion 11. Regarding the side walls that form the body portion 11, the first side wall 11a, the second side wall 11b, and the second side wall 11b corresponding to the first flap 12a, the second flap 12b, and the third flap 12c that are bonded with an adhesive are used. This is referred to as the third side wall 11c. Further, one side wall of the body 11 on which the top panel 12 is continuously provided is referred to as a fourth side wall 11d.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the transfer conveyor 13 circulates between a pair of transfer beds 20 and 20 spaced apart in the left-right direction orthogonal to the transfer direction, and below the transfer surface (upper surface) of the transfer beds 20 and 20. The conveyor is an endless chain (endless cord) 21 that runs, and a plurality of pushing members 22 that are rotatably supported by the endless chain 21 at predetermined intervals. A guide rail 23 for guiding the lower surface of the pushing member 22 is provided below the transfer beds 20, 20. The pushing member 22 guided by the guide rails 23 is held in a pushing posture in which the pushing piece 22a projects above the transport surface from the space between the two transport beds 20, 20 and is continuously moved by the transport conveyor 13. The pushing pieces 22a are configured to push the boxes 10 on the transfer bed at predetermined intervals. The guide rail 23 is an interrupted portion 23a in a section in which the rotation mechanism 31 provided in the first folding means 14 changes the transport direction of the box 10, and the lower surface of the pushing member 22 is in the interrupted portion 23a. When the support is released, the pushing piece 22a pivots rearward so that the pushing piece 22a is in the non-pushing posture in which it is sunk from the conveying surface, and the rotating mechanism 31 horizontally changes the conveying direction of the box 10 by 90 degrees. Tolerate. Then, the pushing member 22 is rotated forward by the guide piece 23b when moving from the interrupted portion 23a to the continuous portion of the guide rail 23 when traveling by the endless chain 21, and is pushed above the transfer beds 20, 20. The pushing piece 22a of the box 10 whose conveying direction has been changed is resumed in a pushing posture in which the piece 22a is projected. That is, the pushing member 22 is configured to prevent the contact between the pushing piece 22a and the box 10 in accordance with the change of the carrying direction of the box 10 by the rotation mechanism 31 that horizontally rotates the first folding means 14. After being depressed from the bottom, the push piece 22a is configured to be able to project and retract upward from the transport surface in accordance with the completion of the posture change of the box 10. Further, the interrupted portion 23a of the guide rail 23 serves as a sinking unit that sinks the pushing member 22 downward from the transport surface of the transport conveyor 13.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a folding guide for folding the top panel 12 extending upward from the body portion 11 accommodating the article 19 is provided above the transportation surface of the transportation conveyor 13. 24 extends in a predetermined range along the transport path of the box 10 by the transport conveyor 13, and while the box 10 is transported by the transport conveyor 13, the folding guide 24 causes the top panel 12 to move to the fourth position. The side wall 11d is bent along a crease in a continuous portion and is supported in a state of covering the upper opening of the body 11. The folding guide 24 extends up to the upstream side of the position where the top panel 12 is pressed by the first folding means 14, and passes laterally from the top panel 12 of the box 10 passing through the downstream end of the folding guide 24. The first flap 12a extending in the direction is bent by the first bending means 14.

The gluing means 16 and 17 are arranged at two locations on the side of the conveying path in the conveying conveyor 13 which are separated from each other in the conveying direction. As shown in FIG. 5, the first gluing means 16 located on the upstream side has the top surface guided by the folding guide 24 upstream from the position where the first folding means 14 bends the first flap 12a. A first sizing nozzle 16a is provided only on one side where the first flap 12a extends from the panel 12. The first glue nozzle 16a is configured to spray the adhesive toward the transport path, and the first side wall 11a facing the side of the box 10 being transported by the transport conveyor 13 has the first glue nozzle 16a. By adhering the adhesive from the first gluing nozzle 16a at a predetermined timing of moving to a position facing each other, the first side wall 11a is bonded to a predetermined region of the overlapping surface where the first flap 12a is bonded. The composition is adapted to be applied. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the second gluing means 17 disposed apart from the first gluing means 16 on the downstream side in the feeding direction is the second folding of the box 10 whose feeding direction is changed by the rotation mechanism 31. Until the second and third flaps 12b, 12c are conveyed to the position where they are bent by the bending means 15, a pair of second glued nozzles 17a, 17a 17a. Both of the second gluing nozzles 17a, 17a are configured to inject the adhesive toward the conveying path, and the second gluing nozzles 17a, 17a facing the side of the body portion 11 of the box 10 being conveyed by the conveying conveyor 13 are provided. By ejecting the adhesive from the second sizing nozzles 17a, 17a at a predetermined timing when the side wall 11b and the third side wall 11c move to positions facing the second sizing nozzles 17a, 17a, the second side wall 11b is obtained. And the third side wall 11c is configured so that the adhesive can be applied to a predetermined area of the overlapping surface where the second flap 12b and the third flap 12c are laminated.

As shown in FIG. 1, the first robot R1 includes a first arm 50 and a second arm 51, and a so-called vertical multi-joint type in which two axes of pivotal fulcrums of the arms 50, 51 are control axes. Is a two-axis robot. The first bending means 14 serving as a handling portion is arranged on the first arm 50 via a connecting body 52. The first bending means 14 controls the operation of the first arm 50 and the second arm 51, so that the first bending means 14 has a degree of freedom in a two-dimensional plane of a front-back direction toward the transfer direction of the transfer conveyor 13 and a vertical direction. Is configured to be movable on the downstream side of the first gluing means 16 within a predetermined operation range. The first arm 50 extends in the front-rear direction of the transfer conveyor 13, and supports the connecting body 52 arranged at one end (extended end) of the first arm 50 extending in a direction orthogonal to the transfer direction of the transfer conveyor 13. The shaft 53 is rotatably supported, and the first bending means 14 is integrally rotatably disposed on the support shaft 53. The other end side (base end side) of the first arm 50 is rotatably supported around a horizontal axis at the other end of the second arm 51 whose one end is rotatably arranged on the base 54. There is. The second arm 51 is rotatably supported about a horizontal axis with respect to the base 54 and extends in the vertical direction with respect to the base 54.

A first lever 57 is disposed at an extended end portion of the first arm 50 so as to rotate integrally with the support shaft 53, and the first arm 50 is rotatable with respect to the second arm 51. An L-shaped second lever 58 is rotatably arranged on the supporting rotation shaft. Further, the other end of the first rod 59 whose one end is rotatably supported by the one extending portion 58 a extending in the radial direction from the rotation center of the second lever 58 has the other end of the first lever 57 rotated. It is rotatably supported by an extending portion 57a extending radially from the center, and one end is rotatable by the other extending portion 58b extending radially from the rotation center of the second lever 58. The other end of the second rod 60 supported by the above is rotatably supported by the supporting portion 54a of the base 54 to form a link mechanism 61. Further, the first arm 50 and the second arm 51 are configured such that they are independently rotationally driven by control motors (driving means) 55 and 56 such as servo motors. Then, when the first arm 50 and the second arm 51 respectively operate, the first bending means 14 supported by the support shaft 53 is operated under the action of the link mechanism 61 arranged in the first arm 50. It is constructed so that it is always held in a fixed posture. Specifically, the link mechanism 61 includes a first parallel link mechanism including a first arm 50, a first rod 59, one extended portion 58a of the first lever 57 and a second lever 58, and a second arm 51, A second parallel link mechanism including a second rod 60, a support portion 54a, and the other extension portion 58b of the second lever 58, and each arm 50, 51 is rotationally driven by a corresponding control motor 55, 56. By doing so, the first bending means 14 can be always translated in a constant posture. Then, the first robot R1 can freely change the position of the first bending means 14 in the two-dimensional plane and move by changing the rotation amount, the rotation direction, the rotation speed, etc. of the control motors 55, 56. The speed can be changed freely.

The first folding means 14 includes first folding members 27, 27 for folding the first flap 12a, and before folding the first flap 12a by the first folding members 27, 27, A first support member (support member) 28 that supports front and rear edges 12d, 12d of the top panel 12 in the transport direction is provided. Further, in the first bending means 14, the support portion 26 in which the first folding members 27, 27 and the first support member 28 are arranged with respect to the attachment portion 35 with respect to the support shaft 53 rotates about the vertical axis. The first folding members 27, 27 and the first supporting member 28 are supported by the first folding member 27, 27 by rotating the support portion 26 by 90 degrees by a rotation mechanism 31 provided as a turning unit provided in the first bending unit 14. The transporting direction of the box 10 held by is converted to the orthogonal direction. The front and rear operating ranges of the first bending means 14 are set between the first gluing means 14 and the second gluing means 15, and the turning means 31 for changing the carrying direction of the box 10. Is located between the first gluing means 14 and the second gluing means 15.

As shown in FIG. 4, the first support member 28 faces the support surface portion 29 that can come into contact with the top panel 12 of the box 10 placed on the transport conveyor 13 from above and the support surface portion 29. And a pair of support pieces 30 extending obliquely downward from the end portion to the outside. At the standby position above the transport conveyor 13, the first folding means 14 is held in a posture in which the pair of support pieces 30, 30 are positioned at the front and rear in the transport direction, and descends from the standby position to raise the support surface portion 29 to the top. When abutting on the upper surface of the face panel 12, the second and third flaps 12b and 12c extending from the top face panel 12 to the front and rear in the transport direction are bent downward by the supporting pieces 30 and 30. , The second and third flaps 12b, 12c and the top panel 12 are provided with a crease, and the front and rear edges 12d, 12d of the top panel 12 in the transport direction are supported by the transport conveyor. 13 is configured to be pressed against the transport surface.

The first bending means 14 includes a pair of the first folding members 27, 27 which are spaced apart from each other in a direction orthogonal to the spacing direction of the support pieces 30, 30 of the first support member 28. Both first folding members 27, 27 are linked to an operating mechanism 33 that is operated by an air cylinder 32 as a driving means provided in the first bending means 14, and by operating the operating mechanism 33, a pair is formed. The first folding members 27, 27 are configured to be rotationally displaced between a release position (position indicated by a chain double-dashed line in FIG. 3) and a bending position (position indicated by a solid line in FIG. 3). The first folding members 27, 27 are held in an inclined posture in which the lower ends thereof are separated from each other in the released position, and when the first folding means 14 approaches the box 10 from above, one of the first folding members 27, 27. 27 is abutted from above on a first flap 12a extending from the top panel 12, and the first flap 12a is bent at a predetermined angle at a portion where the first flap 12a is connected to the top panel 12. Then, the pair of first folding members 27, 27 are in a posture in which the lower ends thereof are close to each other and are substantially parallel to the side walls 11a, 11d of the body portion 11 at the bending position, and the first flap 12a corresponds to the first folding member 27a. It is configured to be bent so as to overlap with the side wall 11a of the.

Here, the first bending means 14 supports the support surface portion 29 of the first support member 28 with respect to the front and rear edges 12d, 12d on the upper surface of the top panel 12 of the box 10 transported by the transport conveyor 13. And the top panel 12 is pressed against the body 11 from above to hold the box 10 placed on the transfer conveyor so that the transfer operation of the box 10 by the transfer of the transfer conveyor 13 is synchronized. The box 10 is moved forward while sliding on the transfer surface of the transfer conveyor 13, and the first folding members 27, 27 are moved from the release position to the bending position during the period from the pressing to the end of the forward movement. The first flap 12a is bent by being rotationally displaced so as to overlap with the first side wall 11a, and the first flap 12a is attached to the first side wall 11a by the adhesive applied by the first gluing means 16. Are pasted together. Further, in the first folding means 14, the box 10 is sandwiched from the left and right by the first folding members 27, 27, and the front and rear edges 12d, 12d in the carrying direction of the top panel 12 are sandwiched by the first supporting member 28. In the supported state, the supporting portion 26 is rotated by 90 degrees by the rotating mechanism 31, so that the conveying direction is changed by 90 degrees while the bottom surface of the box 10 is in contact with the conveying surface. Then, the first folding means 14 pivotally displaces the first folding members 27, 27 from the folding position to the releasing position after changing the direction of the box 10, and supports the first folding members 27, 27 until it rises and returns to the standby position. The part 26 is rotated 90 degrees in the opposite direction to return to the initial state.

In the box 10 whose orientation is changed by the rotating mechanism 31, the second flap 12b and the third flap 12c are supported by the supporting pieces 30 and 30 and are bent into an eight-shaped half-folded state, Folding is imparted along the creases provided in the continuous portion of the flaps 12b, 12c and the top panel 12, and the upper surface of the box 10 is held from all sides to form the box 10 in a distorted manner. It is held so as not to be.

As shown in FIG. 1, the second robot R2, which is arranged at a predetermined distance downstream of the first robot R1 in the transport direction, includes a first arm 50 and a second arm 51, as in the first robot R1. Is a so-called vertical multi-joint type two-axis robot in which the two axes of the rotation fulcrums of the arms 50 and 51 are control axes. Then, the second bending means 15 serving as a handling portion is arranged on the first arm 50 via the connecting body 52, and the second bending means 15 is, like the first bending means 14, By controlling the operation of the first arm 50 and the second arm 51, the second gluing means 17 has a degree of freedom within a two-dimensional plane of the front-back direction and the up-down direction toward the transport direction of the transport conveyor 13. Is configured to be movable in a predetermined operation range on the downstream side of. The operating ranges of the first bending means 14 and the second bending means 15 are set to be different from each other so that the two bending means 14 and 15 do not come into contact with each other. Further, the second folding means 15 extends from the top panel 12 of the box 10 whose posture has been changed by the rotation mechanism 31 of the first folding means 14 toward the side of the conveyance path to the second flap 12b. And the second folding members 36, 36 for folding the third flap 12c, and the top panel when folding the second flap 12b and the third flap 12c with the second folding members 36, 36. And a second support member (support member) 37 that supports the front and rear edges 12d, 12d in the transport direction.

The configuration of the second folding means 15 is the same as that of the first folding means 14 except that the rotating mechanism 31 is not provided, and members having the same function are designated by the same reference numerals. Therefore, detailed description will be omitted.

The second bending means 15 is changed in posture by the rotating mechanism 31 and is moved downward from the standby position with respect to the box 10 being conveyed in synchronization with the forward movement of the box 10 by the conveyer 13, and the second supporting member 37 is moved. With the support surface portion 29 of the above contacting the upper surface of the top panel 12 and pressing the box 10 against the transfer surface of the transfer conveyor 13, the transfer of the transfer conveyor 13 is synchronized with the transfer operation of the box 10 by the transfer of the transfer conveyor 13. The box 10 is moved forward while sliding on the surface, and the second folding members 36, 36 are pivotally displaced from the release position to the folding position during the period until the forward movement is completed. The second flap 12b and the third flap 12c are configured to be folded so as to overlap the second side wall 11b and the third side wall 11c. Even if the second and third flaps 12b and 12c are bent by the second folding members 36 and 36 while the box 10 is pressed against the transport surface by the support surface 29, the box 10 is not moved by the support surface 29. It may be performed after pressing it against the transport surface. Further, the second bending means 15 moves the box 10 forward at a speed faster than the pushing speed of the box 10 by the transfer of the transfer conveyor 13 and transfers it to the carry-out conveyor 18. The front and rear operating ranges of the second folding means 15 are set beyond the transport end of the transport conveyor 13 to the transport start end of the carry-out conveyor 18, and the second folding means 15 includes the second folding member 36. While holding the box 10 from the left and right with 36, 36, and holding the front and rear edges 12d, 12d of the top panel 12 in the transport direction by the second support member 37, the transport conveyor 13 from the downstream end of the transport conveyor 13 is held. It is configured to move the box 10 forward to the upstream end. Then, the second folding means 15 rotates the second folding members 36, 36 from the folding position to the releasing position and lifts them up to the standby position after delivering the box 10 to a predetermined position of the carry-out conveyor 18. Configured to return.

Here, the first bending means 14 and the second bending means 15 are detachably attached to the corresponding first arms 50, 50, and when the size of the box 10 is changed, The folding means 14 and 15 provided with the sized folding members 27, 27, 36 and 36 and the supporting members 28 and 37 can be easily replaced.

Next, the operation of the box-sealing device according to the embodiment thus configured will be described.

Articles 19 are housed in a semi-boxed box, the top panel 12 is bent by the folding guide 24 so as to cover the upper opening of the body 11, and the top panel 12 is placed on the conveyor 13 and conveyed. In the box 10, the first side wall 11a facing the side of the transfer path of the transfer conveyor 13 passes the first gluing nozzle 16a of the first gluing means 16 at a timing at which the first glue is passed. The adhesive is sprayed from the attachment nozzle 16a, and the adhesive is applied to a predetermined region on the first side wall 11a along the transport direction.

At the timing when the box 10 is conveyed to the predetermined position by the conveyor 13, the first bending means 14 of the first robot R1 descends from the standby position and the supporting surface 29 of the first supporting member 28 causes the bending guide to move. The box 10 is pressed against the transfer surface of the transfer conveyor 13 by abutting the upper surface of the top panel 12 of the box 10 that has passed the downstream end of 24 and pressing the top panel 12 against the body 11, and at the same time the top panel is pressed. A second flap 12b and a third flap 12c extending from 12 in the front-rear direction in the transport direction are bent downward at a predetermined angle by the support pieces 30 and 30 (see FIG. 4). As a result, a crease is given to the creases provided in the connecting portion between the flaps 12b and 12c and the top panel 12. Further, the front panel 12 is supported in a state in which front and rear edges 12d and 12d of the top panel 12 are aligned with the front and rear edges of the body 11 by bending the front and rear flaps 12b and 12c. ..

Further, in the process of the first folding means 14 descending from the standby position, one of the first folding members 27 at the release position comes into contact with the first flap 12a extending from the top panel 12 from above. The first flap 12a is bent at the connecting portion with the top panel 12. Then, by rotationally displacing the pair of first folding members 27, 27 from the release position to the folding position, the first flap 12a is folded so as to overlap the first side wall 11a as shown in FIG. As the box 10 is bent and both sides of the box 10 are sandwiched between the first folding members 27, 27, the first flap 12a is pressed against the first side wall 11a to which the adhesive has already been applied, and is attached. To be combined.

By controlling the operation of the first folding means 14 in the first robot R1, the box 10 is sandwiched between the first folding members 27, 27 from the left and right, and the first support member 28 moves the top panel 12 in the carrying direction. In a holding state in which the front and rear edges 12d, 12d are supported, the box 10 pressed against the transfer surface of the transfer conveyor 13 is moved forward while sliding on the transfer surface in synchronization with the transfer conveyor 13 until the end of the advance. During this period, the support portion 26 is horizontally rotated to change the carrying direction of the box 10. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 5, the box 10 is converted into a direction in which the second flap 12b and the third flap 12c extending from the top panel 12 extend to the left and right of the transport path. In addition, when the posture of the box 10 is changed by the rotation mechanism 31, the pushing member 22 of the transport conveyor 13 has a posture in which the push piece 22a is sunk from the transport surface at the interrupted portion 23a of the guide rail 23, as shown in FIG. When the box 10 changes the carrying direction, it does not interfere with the pushing piece 22a and hinder the conversion of the carrying direction of the box 10. Further, in a section in which the pushing piece 22a sinks downward from the transport surface, the bottom surface of the box 10 is in contact with the transport surface, and is advanced while being held by the first bending means 14 to change the direction and move forward. .. That is, when changing the transport direction of the box 10 by the rotating mechanism 31, it is not necessary to take measures such as moving the transport position of the box 10 forward in order to prevent contact interference with the pushing member 22, and the box 10 can be transported smoothly. Thus, the shift of the transport position of the box 10 can be prevented. Further, since the transport direction of the box 10 is changed in the transporting process by the first folding means 14, it is not necessary to temporarily suspend the transport of the box 10 by the transport conveyor 13 or to perform the intermittent transport operation, and the production efficiency is improved. Can improve.

When the orientation of the box 10 is changed, the first folding members 27, 27 are pivotally displaced from the folding position to the releasing position to release the pressing force of the first flap 12a, and the first folding means. 14 is controlled to move away from the box 10 and moves to an upper standby position. Further, the first bending means 14 operates the rotating mechanism 31 while returning to the standby position to reversely rotate the first folding members 27, 27 and the first supporting member 28 by 90 degrees and return them to the initial position. Further, as the endless chain 21 travels, the pushing member 22 rides on the guide piece 23b of the guide rail 23 from the downstream end of the interrupting portion 23a and is guided to return to the pushing posture (see FIG. 2), and the direction is changed. The box 10 is continuously pushed by the pushing piece 22a.

The box 10 that is conveyed in a state in which the orientation is changed and the second flap 12b and the third flap 12c extend to the left and right of the conveyance path is the second glue nozzle 17a of the second glue means 17. The adhesive sprayed from each of the second sizing nozzles 17a, 17a at a predetermined timing in the front-rear direction on the second side wall 11b and the third side wall 11c at the timing of passing through the disposition positions of the second side wall 11b, 17a. Is applied. When the box 10 is conveyed by the conveying conveyor 13 to the downstream side by the pushing member 22, the operation control of the second folding means 15 in the second robot R2 controls the supporting surface of the second supporting member 37 lowered from the standby position. 29 contacts the upper surface of the top panel 12 and presses the top panel 12 against the body portion 11 to press the box 10 against the transfer surface of the transfer conveyor 13 and the front and rear edges of the top panel 12 in the transfer direction. The portions 12d, 12d are supported by the support pieces 30, 30. In addition, the pair of second folding members 36, 36 is pivotally displaced from the release position to the folding position, whereby the second flap 12b and the third flap 12c are moved to the second side wall 11b and the third side wall 11c. The second flap 12b and the third flap 12c are already coated with an adhesive because the box 10 is sandwiched by the second folding members 36, 36 from the left and right while being folded so as to overlap with each other. The second side wall 11b and the third side wall 11c which are open are pressed and bonded.

The second folding means 15 sandwiches the box 10 with the second folding members 36, 36, and supports the front and rear edges 12d, 12d of the top panel 12 in the carrying direction by the second support member 37. In the holding state, the box 10 is moved forward by sliding on the transport surface of the transport conveyor 13 in synchronization with the transport operation of the box 10 by the transport of the transport conveyor 13 by controlling the operation of the second folding means 15, Transfer from the transfer conveyor 13 to the carry-out conveyor 18 (see FIG. 5). That is, the box 10 in which the flaps 12a, 12b, 12c are bonded to the side walls 11a, 11b, 11c and sealed is held by the second folding means 15 from the downstream end of the transfer conveyor 13 to the upstream end of the carry-out conveyor 18. It is possible to prevent the box 10 from changing its posture and position when it is delivered between the conveyors 13 and 18 by moving forward while being moved forward.

In the box-sealing device of the embodiment, the flaps 12a, 12b, 12c are bent and bonded to the side walls 11a, 11b, 11c while pressing the top panel 12 of the box 10 against the body 11 from above by the folding means 14, 15. As a result, even in a carton box made of a material such as cardboard that is easily deformed during box making, as compared with the conventional case in which the flap is bent by being guided by a folding guide when the box is transported. When the flaps 12a, 12b, 12c are formed by bending, the box 10 is not distorted in the conveying direction, and the flaps 12a, 12b, 12c are attached to the side walls 11a, 11b, 11c in a good state, which is good. A shaped box 10 can be obtained. In addition, in the embodiment, after the first flap 12a extending from the top panel 12 is attached to the first side wall 11a of the box 10, the second flap 12a extending in a direction orthogonal to the first flap 12a is attached. Since the third flap 12b and the third flap 12c are configured to be bent, the rigidity of the box 10 in the left-right direction is increased by the first flap 12a attached to the first side wall 11a, and the second and third flaps 12b. It is possible to further reduce the distortion of the box 10 at the time of bending the cables 12 and 12c.

In the box-sealing device of the embodiment, the box 10 is directly held from above by the folding means 14 and 15, and the box 10 is moved forward without being displaced from the transfer center of the transfer conveyor 13. It is possible to reduce the occurrence of troubles such as displacement and posture change. Further, since the folding means 14 and 15 are configured to be replaceable and the positions of the folding means 14 and 15 can be arbitrarily controlled by the operation control of the robots R1 and R2, switching corresponding to the size change of the box 10 is possible. The time can be shortened, the range of sizes can be widened, and the boxes 10 of multiple sizes can be flexibly handled.

Moreover, since the transport direction of the box 10 transported by the transport conveyor 13 is configured to be changed to the orthogonal direction, the first side wall 11a and the second and third side walls 11b and 11c of the box 10 which are orthogonal to each other are bonded. Both the first sizing means 16 and the second sizing means 17 for applying the agent can be arranged laterally of the transport path. That is, the adhesive can be applied to a predetermined region or a plurality of locations on the corresponding side walls 11a, 11b, 11c only by adjusting the timing of the injection time of the adhesive according to the transfer timing of the box 10, and the conventional box can be applied. It is not necessary to provide a plurality of gluing nozzles according to the left-right width of 10 or to run the gluing nozzles in the left-right direction orthogonal to the transport direction, and the configurations of the gluing means 16 and 17 can be simplified. Further, by adopting the configuration in which the transport direction of the box 10 is changed to the orthogonal direction, it is not necessary to lift the box by the lift means or to provide the two transport paths intersecting each other as in the conventional case, and the transport line is linear It is possible to make the device simple and to shorten the conveying path to make the device compact. Moreover, since the posture of the box 10 is changed while the box 10 is being held by the first folding means 14, it is possible to prevent the posture of the box 10 from being disturbed during the posture change, and the second gluing means is used. There is no problem in shifting the gluing position by 17 and no trouble in bending the second and third flaps 12b and 12c by the second bending means 15.

(Example of change)
The present invention is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments illustrated above, and various embodiments can be adopted within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, the following modifications are also implemented. It is possible.
(1) The transport conveyor 13 is not limited to the push-out conveyor that pushes the box 10 by the push-out member 22 of the embodiment as long as the robots R1 and R2 can recognize the transport position of the box 10. Various conveyors can be used. When a conveyor that does not use the pushing member 22 is adopted, it is not necessary to sink the pushing member 22 below the conveying surface when the direction of the box 10 is changed, and the configuration can be simplified. Further, when a bucket conveyor in which buckets are provided at regular intervals is adopted as the transfer conveyor 13, it is possible to function as a turning means by adopting a mechanism for horizontally rotating each bucket by 90 degrees.
(2) The second folding means 15 is provided at a position where the box 10 can be delivered from the transport conveyor 13 to the carry-out conveyor 18 while holding the box 10 so that the delivery of the box 10 between the conveyors 13 and 18 can be stably displaced. However, such a configuration may be adopted as necessary according to the properties of the box 10 to be transported and other conditions.
(3) In the embodiment, the first folding means 14 folds the first flap 12a extending to only one side of the transport path, and then a pair of second and third flaps extending in a direction orthogonal to each other. Although the flaps 12b, 12c are bent, the flaps 12a, 12b, 12c may be bent in the reverse order. Then, in the configuration in which the flaps 12a, 12b, 12c are bent in the reverse order, the first gluing means 16 is composed of a pair of first gluing nozzles 16a, 16a facing each other on both sides of the conveying path, The gluing means 17 may be configured by the second gluing nozzle 17a arranged only on one side of the transport path.
(4) Even when the first flap 12a is bent, the two first folding members 27, 27 are provided to sandwich the box 10 from the left and right. This is because the box 10 is transformed when the box 10 is transformed. The first bending means 14 holds the front and rear edges of the box 10 from above by the first support member 28, and the like so as not to shift the posture and position of the box 10. If the configuration is capable of restricting the positional deviation of the first flap 12a, the configuration in which the first folding member 27 is provided only on one side corresponding to the extension side of the first flap 12a can be adopted.
(5) The support members 28 and 37 provided on the folding means 14 and 15 may be adopted as necessary.

(6) In the embodiment, as the folding members 27 and 36 for folding the flaps 12a, 12b, and 12c, the rotary type that rotates about the horizontal axis is adopted, but the invention is not limited to this, and the rotating type that rotates about the vertical axis. Various mechanisms such as a formula and a method of bending the flaps 12a, 12b, 12c by a moving body that moves linearly or in parallel in the vertical direction can be adopted .
(7 ) In the embodiment, each of the first bending means 14 and the second bending means 15 is arranged in an arm group in which a plurality of arms 50 and 51 are connected to correspond to the corresponding first robot R1 and second robot. Although it is configured to move by R2, the first bending means 14 and the second bending means 15 are provided in one robot by providing a pair of arm sets in one robot, and both robots can be operated by one robot. The folding means 14 and 15 may be moved.
( 8 ) In the embodiment, the linking mechanism 61 is configured to move the bending means 14 and 15 in a constant posture in the two-dimensional plane. However, for example, the first arm 50, the second arm 51 and the connecting body 52 are It is also possible to hold the postures of the folding means 14 and 15 and move the folding means 14 and 15 with a degree of freedom in a two-dimensional plane by a structure in which each of them is independently driven to rotate by a control motor such as a servo motor.
( 9 ) In the embodiment, the adhesive is applied to the side walls 11a, 11b, 11c by the gluing means 16, 17, but the flaps 12a, 12b, 12c are adhered to the overlapping surface with the side walls 11a, 11b, 11c. A configuration of applying the agent may be adopted.

10 box, 11 body part, 11a 1st side wall, 11b 2nd side wall 11c 3rd side wall, 11d 4th side wall (1 side wall), 12 top panel 12a 1st flap, 12b 2nd flap , 12c Third flap 12d Edge part, 13 Conveyor conveyor 14 First folding means (first handling part)
15 Second bending means (second handling section)
16 first gluing means, 17 second gluing means 18 out conveyors
2 2 Pushing member, 23a Intermittent part (sinking means), 27 1st folding member 28 1st supporting member (supporting member), 29 Supporting surface part, 30 Supporting piece 31 Rotating mechanism (turning means), 36 2nd folding member 37 2nd support member (support member) , R1 1st robot, R2 2nd robot

Claims (5)

A flap extending laterally from a top panel (12) that is bent to cover one upper wall of the body (11) and is connected to one side wall (11d) of the body (11) of the box (10). (12a, 12b, 12c) by bending the side wall of the body (11) (11a, 11b, 11c) in a box-sealing device, so that
A conveyor (13) that conveys the box (10) in which the top panel (12) is bent so as to cover the upper opening and is placed at predetermined intervals.
During conveyance of the conveyor (13), said flap (12a, 12b, 12c) and said flap (12a, 12b, 12c) the side wall when the folding the extending laterally perpendicular to the conveying direction ( 11a, 11b, 11c) to overlap each other so as to apply the adhesives and to polymerization surface to be stuck, first sizing means on the upstream side which is arranged at a distance from each other in the conveying direction (16) and the downstream Second gluing means (17),
Operation between the transport direction before Symbol conveyor (13) and movably with a degree of freedom in the two-dimensional plane vertically, the first gluing means (16) and the second gluing means (17) A first robot (R1) having a range set, and a second robot (R2) having a movement range set downstream of the second gluing means (17);
It is provided in each of the first handling section (14) of the first robot (R1) and the second handling section (15) of the second robot (R2), and in the operating range of each robot (R1, R2) The transport conveyor (13) is a box (10) that holds the top surface panel (12) of the box (10) by the handling parts (14, 15) and holds the bottom surface in contact with the transport surface of the transport conveyor (13). conveyor at a conveying speed and tunes the speed of the time of moving in the conveying direction (13), said flap being displaced by actuating mechanism (33) (12a, 12b, 12c) and side walls (11a, 11b, 11c) and folding that folding member so as to overlap the (27, 36),
When the box (10) is moved in the carrying direction by the first robot (R1), the first handling part (14) is horizontally rotated by 90 degrees so that the bottom surface of the box (10) is in contact with the carrying surface. a diverter to convert the come direction (31), consists,
In the respective motion ranges of the robots (R1, R2), the flaps (12a, 12b, 12c) folded and overlapped on the side walls (11a, 11b, 11c) are pressed to hold the glue means (16, 17). The sealing device is characterized in that the side walls (11a, 11b, 11c) and the flaps (12a, 12b, 12c) are superposed on each other by the adhesive applied in () . A carry-out conveyor (18) is connected downstream of the carry conveyor (13), and the box (10) on the carry conveyor (13) held by the second handling section (15) is delivered to the carry-out conveyor (18). The operating range of the second robot (R2) is set so as to obtain the flaps (12b, 12c) by the pair of folding members (36) in the second handling section (15) in the operating range. 11b, 11c) and the flaps (12b, 12c) are folded, and the body (11) of the box (10) is sandwiched between them by the adhesive applied by the second gluing means (17). The packaging device according to claim 1, wherein the overlapping surfaces of the side walls (11b, 11c) and the flaps (12b, 12c) are bonded together. The transfer conveyor (13) includes a pushing member (22) for pushing the box (10) at predetermined intervals, and the box (10) held by the first handling unit (14) is moved in the transport direction. the orientation of the (10) when the horizontal by 90 °, the pusher causes member (22) sink downward from the conveying surface of the conveyor (13), wherein in accordance with the conversion complete orientation of the box (10) pusher member (22) to Fuhako apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the subsidence means (23a) provided that protrudes upward of the transport surface. It said first gluing means (16), the flap (12a) of said top panel (12) is stuck on the side wall facing the side wall (11d) which is continuously provided (11a) or side wall (11a) as for applying the adhesives, according to any one of the flaps (12a) section wherein is disposed to the left or right one side of the transport path of the conveyor extending (13) 1-3 Box sealing device. The first and second handling parts (14, 15) contact the top panel (12) from above when the flaps (12a, 12b, 12c) are bent by the folding members (27, 36). A possible supporting surface part (29) and a pair of supports that are located in the front and rear of the supporting surface part (29) in the carrying direction and support the front and rear edges (12d, 12d) of the top panel (12) in the carrying direction. Fuhako device according to any one of claims 1-4 in which a piece (30, 30) support members (28 and 37) having a.

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